


the story in progress

by rotisserieRat



Category: Original Work
Genre: Consensual Underage Sex, Crushes, Dirty Thoughts, Drafts, Dystopian, Gnat is wholesome and trying his best, Group Homes, High School, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Other, Rocky is just a HUGE bastard, Underage Drinking, Underage Smoking, We dont talk about how cringe I write ty, cursed writing, totalitarian government
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:00:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23851972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rotisserieRat/pseuds/rotisserieRat
Summary: literally just a sounding board pls ignore
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character(s)/Original Non-Binary Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. rough draft v1

**Author's Note:**

> rough draft of first chapter, contains sexual themes and abuse is mentioned

gnat duke was a gentle young man. he believed in being kind to those who didn't have kindness in their lives.

this thought process was exactly why gnat brought Rockefeller Jones, a hard-headed, angry teen, home to meet the family. gnat wasn't quite sure _where_ rocky came from but he did know that it wasn't a good place. rocky hadn't reacted too well to the attention from kids their age. gnat blamed it on the fact that they had been ridiculed all throughout their developmental years. Rocky did not like when the other teens came up and started what they called a "friendly chat". rocky was, to say the least, suspicious. 

it wasn't like they were stabbing rocky in the back, but with the limited experience of other kids, rocky assumed everyone would be like the parents they left. gnat figured it to be something they could work through, but so far it was impossible to calm the flames that raged inside them. 

but it wasn't exactly something gnat was eager to calm, per se. he liked the fire, the drive to get vengeance, the hate that fueled rocky. it was incredibly endearing while also being _incredibly sexy._ it wasn't like rocky wasn't good looking already, with sharp features, a pointed look that made anyone cut the bullshit, and a tone that set gnat's mind ablaze with thoughts that'd make a whore blush. he adored gazing at them for hours, watching them perform random chores around the group home.

gnat wasn't the only one with a crush, however. rocky found gnat to be attractive, put simply. they had never really had a chance to acknowledge those sort of feelings as a budding teen, but it was turning to be... pleasant. 

everything was going perfectly well until someone switched on the TV. 

Doris-their self-proclaimed "headmistress"-had enrolled rocky into the local public high school, if only to get them the final credits to graduate. rocky was due to go with gnat to finish up their senior year that next week. technically, rocky could've just dropped out, considering they were of age, but they listened to Doris and decided that any time spent with gnat would be well spent. 

it all went to hell when that ancient box TV clicked on to show the news. A made-up anchorwoman sobbed her eyes out on the ironically cheery set, mascara running down her cheeks in thick black streaks. She seemed distressed, Rocky thought plainly. The running text at the bottom of the screen declared:

**LOCAL SCHOOL CHOSEN FOR YEARLY PURGE**

Rocky paled. They glanced Gnat's way, seeing his face wrought with fear and anticipation. The other teens in the room looked equally as filled with dread. The message continued.

**ST DYMPHNA'S CATHOLIC CHOSEN**

The message was accompanied by images of the school Rocky and Gnat would be attending. Clips of joyful students leaving class played hauntingly, as if taunting the teenagers in the common room. A dark sigh spilled into the room, Rocky seeming to have been the only one unaffected. One by one, the kids started leaving the room, mechanical and unemotional, like sinners marching in a line to their place in Hell. Rocky looked around bewildered, spotting Gnat in the crowd filing through the narrow doors to the sleeping quarters. Gnat crossed the room from his place near one of the many stuffed easy chairs. He held Rocky's arm and gazed into alarmed eyes.

"What's going on? Why are they all leaving?" Rocky said, shrugging away from Gnat's grip.

Gnat frowned, looking confused. "Y-you don't know?" 

"In case you hadn't noticed, I've been living under a rock for 15 years. What the hell is going on?" Rocky said, pushing the hair out of their face. Gnat's face screwed up in thought, his eyes serious. 

"We have a... 'competition' every year. They pick a school and pit it against another one to sort of... weed out the bad kids?" Gnat said the end like it was a question, like he was wondering if that was even the right answer. 

"Those kids are going to pack their stuff because they have to have it registered," He said, his hands moving wildly. 

"This is some sort of government-mandated thing, ain't it? Damn, I was looking forward to enjoying the free world while I could," Rocky said. 

"O-oh... You-" Gnat stopped short, gaze softening, seeing Rocky's expression. "Nevermind... Let's just go get packed. Mom'll want us to check in tomorrow."

The anchorwoman cried out once more, just as the rest of the kids left the room. She was shrieking something about her daughter, how she didn't want her to get hurt. She fell to the ground in anguish, the camera only catching a glimpse of the top of her head as she crawled away pitifully. The broadcast ceased, and the channel cut to an ad. 

Rocky's heart shrunk with apathy and their eyes became glassy and glazed over. This was their life for the next few months. 

The hours before lights out went by in a blink, as if time had skipped over. Gnat had run off to pack his bags, leaving Rocky alone in their shared bunk space. They wanted to sob out for a safe place, but this wasn't a time to cry. They had to bundle up whatever shit was under their bunk and hope for the best, hope that this whole situation wasn't near as bad as it seemed.

For a moment, Rocky thought of Gnat. Was he okay? How was he handling this so well? Why did he look at Rocky with that soft look they'd never seen before? They pushed the thoughts away, shaking their head as if to shoo them off. All Rocky knew was fear, learning to take the days one by one. _Tomorrow is sure to suck dick_ , they thought. They climbed into bed and lay there for mere minutes before falling asleep from emotional exhaustion. 


	2. better draft of previous chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> same as last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> be wary of tw:
> 
> abuse, sexual themes
> 
> general underage shit

"Nathan Duke was a kind boy, growing up. He never pulled girls' pigtails, or pushed boys. Nathan was kind. He was fair, honest, and most importantly, kind. 

Nathan Duke is a good little boy. He is good with animals, babies, and other children. 

He is kind."

It was like a mantra in Gnat's head, repeating over and over, digging deeper with each push. 

"He is kind."

Gnat had to remind himself of that, otherwise, he knew he'd start to sink again. 

The room was dark as he woke, the high ceilings looking endless with shadows like a night sky without the stars. He looked around, taking in his surroundings as he rose. The other teens in his room were still asleep in their cots, a few snores rang out but it was nothing major, he decided. Gnat laid back, his head resting against the metal frame of his daybed. His scalp was cooled by the dented, worn metal bar, and he felt comforted. He pushed the hair out of his face, scratching at his eyes.

"I am kind," Gnat whispered to himself, leaning onto his knees and putting his head in his hands. The dreams were getting worse. He could barely sleep, let alone feel rested when he woke. It was all so vivid, the dreams- they bordered on nightmares. He closed his eyes, his mind racing. Sighing, he crept out of bed to find a drink or something to ease his thoughts.

As Gnat walked through the sterile, white-walled halls of his home, the first true home he had ever had, he was overcome by emotion.

He stopped. The kitchen was just up a few ways, but Gnat needed a moment. 

Gnat was lonely, he realized. This entire complex filled with kids his age, and he was lonely. He hadn't gotten much sleep lately, so maybe that was the reason for his inability to make friends. No, Gnat had a feeling it was something deeper. 

He coughed, his throat dry like sandpaper. He continued down the hall to the kitchen after wiping his eyes. 

The next morning, after hours of tossing in bed waiting for the sun to come up, he stalked out of his room. Gnat was frustrated with his current situation, he concluded. The other teens in his bunk had left to get dressed for the day, happy to be awake and productive. 

Gnat joined them in the common room sometime later. He dressed comfortably, his jeans loose and worn with holes. A too-big t-shirt hung from his body, the sleeves draped around his elbows like flapping wings. His curly brown hair had been combed back and tied up out of his face.

He sat down in an old wooden rocking chair and folded a blanket onto his lap. Gnat looked around, eyeing the other kids curiously. Everyone seemed to be preoccupied with something, some children playing board games or watching the old box television in the corner. Others were reading or idly chatting in the many other easy chairs. 

He sat there for a bit, people-watching. Slowly, his eyes drifted shut and he fell into a light slumber.


End file.
